Kombu "cha" - Kelp powder

I was just looking at some Japanese recipes and stumbled upon kombu cha, not the fermented stuff that some people drink, but dried kelp powder, it's sold similar to matcha and comes as just the powder, or flavored (like plum flavor).

SlientSipper wrote:my father got me some a few times.Its soothing and salty.Its a bit on the exotic side that's for sure.

Also, yes there is Kombu-Cha and then there is also Kombucha,Kombucha, is made from a type of fungus and is very bitter but, allegedly very good for your health. High acidity on that one.

Though the fermenting agent in Kombucha is often referred to as "mushroom," it is not a fungus. I believe it's mostly yeast and bacteria. I tried making it for a few months and it was kind of fun, but I discontinued the process because the benefits were not so wildly recognizable. It can taste really good if done well, though.

My experience w/ the dried-kelp variety of kombu cha is similar to what Xell and SilentSipper mentioned -- salty.

A friend picked it up at Narita on his way back from Korea. It was 'real' kombu cha, or at least, by the name on the label. In typical Japanese style, came with its own plastic serving spoon under the lid.